Field note
When SMEs Outgrow Verbal Workplace Rules
Many Taiwan SMEs run for years on founder judgment and hallway answers. That works until a second site opens, night shifts appear, or a disputed leave request lands on the same day as a key delivery.
A practical signal that written policy is overdue: three different managers give three different answers to the same staff question. Another signal is onboarding that takes longer than the job itself because nobody can point to a shared rule set.
Start with the decisions that repeat weekly — attendance, leave approval, overtime expectations, and how performance concerns are raised. Write those first. Broader handbook chapters can wait until the core path is stable.
Service Cedarbase often begins with a short policy health check so leadership sees where practice and paperwork already diverge. The goal is not a thick binder; it is a thin set of rules people can find and use.